The Paradox of Autonomy

This paper considers the paradoxical effects of an autonomous leadership style. The well-documented empowering effect of autonomy on work attitudes is shown to be counterbalanced by the negative effects of isolation and a deprivation of valued inputs when a leader is uninvolved. The paradox of autonomy lies in these dual positive and negative influences. The diverse effects of autonomy are explained by the dynamic processes by which autonomy is granted to group members, using an interactionist perspective. The core dimensions of the autonomy process are direction and involvement. The interactions between leader and group member along these dimensions influence satisfaction differently, and motivation very little. It is suggested that there are substitutes for leadership that more directly affect motivation. Data were collected from an academic scientific research institute, using both qualitative and quantitative methods, from which these propositions emerged

Affect (linguistics · Autonomy · Perspective (graphical · Political science · Self-determination theory · Style (visual arts · Accounting and Organizational Management · Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior · Management Theory and Practice · Psychology · Social Psychology

• Good Visions, Bad Micro-management and Ugly Ambiguity

  Open Access•Mats Alvesson, Stefan Sveningsson•Organization Studies•2003

  Incluir item

• Climate for Creativity

  Samuel T Hunter, Katrina E Bedell et al.•Creativity Research Journal•2007

  Incluir item

• Confucian Values and School Leadership in Vietnam

  Dinh Thang Truong

  Incluir item

• Confucian Values and School Leadership in Vietnam

  Dinh Thang Truong•2021

  Incluir item

• Ethical Orientation and Research Misconduct Among Business Researchers Under the Condition of Autonomy and Competition

  Open Access•Matthias Fink, Johannes Gärtner et al.•Journal of Business Ethics•2023

  Incluir item

• From vocation to profession

  Open Access•Shubo Liu, Qiuli Huang et al.•Humanities and Social Sciences…•2024

  Incluir item

• Eleven sides to the Minister of the Crown

  Open Access•Andrew Kakabadse, Nada Kakabadse•British Politics•2011

  Incluir item

• Investigating leadership ethnographically

  Open Access•Neil Sutherland•Leadership•2016

  Incluir item

• Information and Informality

  Open Access•Magnus Larsson, Solveig Segerstéen et al.•Journal of Leadership &…•2010

  Incluir item

• Managers Doing Leadership

  Open Access•Mats Alvesson, Stefan Sveningsson•Human Relations•2003

  Incluir item

• Isolated in the Lab

  Jennifer M Miller, Mitchell Feldman et al.•The Journal of Higher Education•2015

  Incluir item

• Leadership and Decision-Making

  Victor H Vroom, Philip W Yetton et al.•Leadership and Decision-Making•1973

  Incluir item

• Substitutes for leadership

  Open Access•Steven Kerr, John M Jermier•Organizational Behavior and Human…•1978

  Incluir item

• Participation, Satisfaction, and Productivity

  Katherine Miller, K I MILLER et al.•Academy of Management Journal•1986

  Incluir item

• Cognitive Elements of Empowerment

  Kenneth W Thomas, Betty A Velthouse et al.•Academy of Management Review•1990

  Incluir item

• Employee Creativity

  Greg R Oldham, Anne Cummings•Academy of Management Journal•1996

  Incluir item

• The Measurement of Job Characteristics.

  Holly Sims, H P Sims et al.•Academy of Management Journal•1976

  Incluir item

• Leadership and Performance beyond Expectations

  John M Longshore, Bernard M Bass•Academy of Management Review•1987

  Incluir item

• Development of the Job Diagnostic Survey.

  J Richard Hackman, Greg R Oldham•Journal of Applied Psychology•1975

  Incluir item

• New patterns of management

  Rensis Likert•New patterns of management•1987

  Incluir item

• The Discovery of Grounded Theory

  Barney G Glaser, Anselm L Strauss•Discovery of Grounded Theory•2017

  Incluir item

• Perceived Control by Employees

  Open Access•Paul E Spector•Human Relations•1986

  Incluir item

• Patterns of Aggressive Behavior in Experimentally Created “Social Climates

  Kurt Lewin, Ronald Lippitt et al.•The Journal of Social Psychology•1939

  Incluir item

• New Perspectives in Organization Research

  Joseph A Litterer, William W Cooper et al.•American Sociological Review•1965

  Incluir item

• The Productivity of Scientists in Industrial Research Laboratories

  Open Access•Steven Box, Stephen Cotgrove•Sociology•1968

  Incluir item